Phantom
by Rhiannon A. Christy
Summary: After Darcy pushes thing between them too far, Bruce lets Darcy know just what she would be getting herself into and that she should've left him alone.


Darcy leaned back against the wall, her breathing labored as the man before her loomed over her. She had wanted him for so long; though she knew she would never have him. Of course, not that it ever stopped her from pushing him.

"You should have left me alone." Bruce pressed his forehead against the wall beside Darcy's. The young woman had taken it upon herself to befriend him, to cleave her way into his life and into his heart. The problem was she had been a little too successful, and now he ached because he could never have her the way he so desired.

"Nothing you ever say will convince me that becoming your friend was wrong." Darcy turned her head until her nose was just about pressed into his cheek. She knew what he thought of himself, what he thought of the Hulk. No one, not even Bruce, would convince her that he was unworthy.

"Be my friend, fine, but you wouldn't quit. Why couldn't you have been content with friendship, why?" He wanted to hate her for it, for giving him hope, for making him love her. He wanted to so bad, but he couldn't.

"I never thought…" He was so close that Darcy could feel the tremors that ran through his body, she probably should be frightened out of her mind, but all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and hold him tight.

"You never think; no one ever does. Don't you realize that I could never give you what you need? I could never touch you like you deserve…" Bruce turned his head, bringing him face to face with her. He looked down into her eyes and the look he found there made his heart jump and fall into his stomach all at once.

"Then give me what you are able, I shall be content with that." Shivering from the look he was giving her, Darcy could not stop herself from closing her eyes.

"Could you really? Could you be content with an illusion of a relationship, only ever bestowed phantom touches that dared to call themselves a lover's caress?" Bruce grasped ahold of the tie to Darcy's wrap dress, slowly pulling until it came apart in his hand. He watched as the dress parted, exposing the curves that had driven him mad.

"Could you survive never knowing the full effect of my touch? Would you really never grow to despise me for keeping you bound to me, a man unable to love you in anything but words?" He raised one hand, hovering it just above the flesh of her stomach. He could feel her trembling through the energy gathered between them.

He ran his hand up the length of her belly to the curve of her breast without actually touching her. Darcy shivered at the heat she could feel coming off of him, her breathing becoming even more labored at the illusion of touch.

"Would ghost kisses be enough, would you not resent me for giving you only the delusion of love?" He pressed his nose in the dip between her neck and shoulder, his breath fluttering over her.

Darcy tried to lean into his touch, but he just pulled back enough so he could retain that small gap between them where she could feel his heat and energy, but never his flesh. She gasped when he edged his mouth down her neck and shoulders, lips raised just above her breasts, tracing lines in the air above her curves.

"I'm not sure you understand, never knowing your taste or your touch would destroy me. Having you before me but never having you would send me past all points of return. I'm half mad for you already; would you take what's left of my sanity?" Her scent filled his nose as he skimmed further down, past her navel until that faint floral faded only to be replaced by a heady musk that sent both Bruce and the Hulk into a frenzy. It took all of Bruce's willpower to keep that minuscule distance between them instead of pushing up and taking what he truly wanted.

Darcy's eyes rolled back into her head, on the edge of madness herself. She wanted him to move, to press against her and make her his. She whined and pleaded, but Bruce just gave a whisper of a kiss before standing to encircle her face in his hands, the first real touch since he backed her up against the wall.

"I could never do that to you, don't you understand that? I could never trap you; I care for you too much." He knew he shouldn't, but he pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. He pulled away when his desire tried to take all reason from him. He couldn't give in; he would only end up hurting her.

With one last lingering look, he pulled away and headed back to his lab. She would probably hate him in the end, but she would be safe and that was all that mattered to him.

Darcy slid down the wall until she was curled up on the floor. Though the only touch he had given her was that simple kiss, her body sang like no man had ever been able to make it before. She understood his reservations, but all his little display had done was convince her that she would have him in the end.

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Author's Notes: So, yeah I've wanted to do more Darcy/Bruce and this idea sort of popped into my head. I'm thinking this might actually end up being in the middle of a full length story later on.

Anyway, this scene is actually inspired by a scene from the book "In The Company of Others" by Julie E. Czerneda. It has stuck with me since I read it and I have to admit that it has influenced all of my romantic/sexy scenes.

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**


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